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Quick question for you ladies... (and gentlemen? Are there any gentlemen in this group???) So someone just asked to purchase one of my cards but I have no idea how to go about figuring out a price. It's a family friend. It's a very basic card, made for my son's baseball coach. I just found a baseball in Silhouette for $.99 and made a simple card out of it. Nothing crazy. So should I even charge her at all? Should I charge her the $.99 I paid for the image? Any feedback/advice would be greatly appreciated here as I still feel like I'm pretty new to all of this. I've been making cards for about 2 months now I think so I know there's still sooooo much to learn. Thank you!!! I love you all for always being there anytime I have a question or need advice.
Quick question for you ladies... (and gentlemen? Are there any gentlemen in this group???) So someone just asked to purchase one of my cards but I have no idea how to go about figuring out a price. It's a family friend. It's a very basic card, made for my son's baseball coach. I just found a baseball in Silhouette for $.99 and made a simple card out of it. Nothing crazy. So should I even charge her at all? Should I charge her the $.99 I paid for the image? Any feedback/advice would be greatly appreciated here as I still feel like I'm pretty new to all of this. I've been making cards for about 2 months now I think so I know there's still sooooo much to learn. Thank you!!! I love you all for always being there anytime I have a question or need advice.
P.S.
I've attached a pic of the card
That's a really cute card! I would charge at least $3 and maybe $4.
Don't sell yourself short! It's not just about the materials, it's the time, and also your creativity to put it all together and make such a cute card.
If they went to a card store, they would have to pay probably at least $5 for a card that only "looked" handmade.
There have been lots of threads here about those of us who have fallen into the "trap" of people we know, friends and family, coming to expect us to make things for free for them. It can really get out of hand quickly. People who don't make stuff really have no idea of how much time it can take.
I get this all the time because I also sew and crochet. I had a family member that was constantly asking me to hem her slacks "because I don't know how to sew." Between you and me, it is really not fun or creative to put a hem in a pair of pants, lol. I finally told her, nicely, that I really wished I could, but I just didn't have the time to do it.
Okay, rant over - off the soapbox now. It really is a cute card!
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Charge for cost of die, paper and some for time even if it is $1.00. So card should at least be $2.50 to $3.00. If you sell yourself short next time they need a card they will expect some low price.
I agree with everyone else don't sell yourself short. I did and still do. I would charge at least $2.00 maybe even $3.00, but remember I sell myself short. I made a bunch of cards for my old boss (I think it was 20) and he gave me $50. I was so shocked and I felt so guilty because he gave me so much, when I finally got home and figured it out it was $2.50 a card. I was very happy with that. He contacted me a week ago and asked me if I was still stamping, because he just sent out his last one and needed more. When I told him that I did he told me this time don't let him pay me so cheaply. You see I gave them to him and when asked how much I told him whatever he thought.
So now I have to get into my stamp room. Long story short. . . DO NOT sell yourself short or cheap.
There are a lot of ways to calculate how to charge for a card.
But if this were a good friend and she just wanted the ONE card, ONE time, I would probably just give it to her, with some lighthearted comment about "you can have this one but you'll have to buy any others." (So that she doesn't try to take advantage of you in the future.) If you're not planning to go down the regular money-making path with your cards, I just don't think it's worth the headache to worry about it.
Totally agree with the above comments about not selling yourself short-$3-$4 sounds about the right sort of price- enough that they value what you've done for them. Because thats the thing-- if you undervalue yourself and what you do, so will others. It's a situation where word can spread- that they can come to you for a cheap/free card, and then it gets awkward. Start off from the right place of having a value on your time- thats totally irreplaceable!
Many times people tell me I should sell my cards but I just can't bring myself to charge for something I love to do. Friends have occasionally asked to pay me to make one and I do without charging. None of them have taken advantage of me, which I greatly appreciate. If a stranger would ask, I would just tell them I don't make cards to sell. I tell them if I HAD to make them, it wouldn't be fun anymore!
Thank you for your kind words. And thank you for the advice too. I really appreciate it, as always... I ended up just selling them for $2 each. If it hadn't been a family friend and it hadn't been my very 1st sale, I probably would have sold them for $3.50 each. That's smack in the middle of the average you all have suggested and I think that's a pretty fair price. Have a great day!!
Not sure where to post this...?
